Trisodium Citrate

What is Trisodium Citrate?

Molecular Formula (Trisodium Citrate); Na₃C₆H₅O₇.nH₂O

Molecular Weight; 258.06 g/mol (Anhydrous) / 294.10 g/mol (Dihydrate)

Chemical Name; Trisodium Citrate Anhydrous or Trisodium Citrate Dihydrate

CAS Number; 68-04-2 (Anhydrous)/ 6132-04-3

It is a tribasic salt of citric acid. It is found in two forms: anhydrous and dihydrate.

Pharmacologically, it is classified as an excipient.

It has a very good ability to form complexes with some metal ions. It can form complexes with Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Fe²⁺ ions.

Its solubility in water is good. As the water temperature increases, the solubility of Trisodium Citrate increases.

It is a capable chemical for pH adjustment due to its buffering property.

It is a weak acid but has strong alkaline properties.

When combined with citrate, it can form a highly compatible pH buffer.

What is Citrate? It is a strong feedback inhibitor of glycolysis to reduce flux when transported back into the cytosol. It is an ester of Citric Acid.

Other Names Include:

• 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic Acid
• 2-Hydroxy-trisodium salt
• Citric Acid trisodium salt
• Sodium Citrate
• Sodium Citrate Anhydrous
• Emulsifying Salt
• Citrate
• Lemon Salt

What are its Physical and Chemical Properties?

It has a colorless to white crystalline appearance. It is odorless and has a cool, salty taste.

Citrate begins to lose its water at temperatures above 150 °C and decomposes.

It is a compound with very good solubility in water. As the water temperature increases, its solubility also increases.

Its density is 1.76 g/cm³.

It is a stable compound. It is incompatible with bases, reducing agents, and oxidizing agents.

Trisodium Citrate has low reactivity. It is a chemical that is almost insoluble in ethanol.

It has no toxic effects and possesses good stability.

Melting Point: 300 °C (decomposes)

Boiling Point: Decomposes, does not have a boiling point.

How is Trisodium Citrate Produced?

The anhydrous form is produced from trisodium citrate dihydrate. The water crystals are removed within a system without causing the loss of the original crystal matrices, resulting in the formation of the anhydrous compound.

The dihydrate form is produced by neutralizing it with a caustic soda solution and crystallizing it into the hydrate form. Chemically, many hydrate forms are known, but the dihydrate form is the most important among them.

The process of forming the anhydrous version here involves the controlled heating of the dihydrate form.

It is produced in two stages. First, starches are fermented. In the second stage, citric acid is neutralized with an alkaline chemical to produce the final product, i.e., TSC. And TSC is produced as a result of some reactions.

What are its Effects on Human Health?

It is produced in two stages. First, starches are fermented. In the second stage, citric acid is neutralized with an alkaline chemical to produce the final product, Trisodium Citrate. And TSC is produced as a result of some reactions.

It is a chemical that can cause serious eye damage and irritation.

In case of contact with this chemical, hands should be washed with plenty of water.

In case of eye contact, rinse with water for several minutes. If contact lenses are worn, they should be removed. If discomfort persists, medical attention should be sought.

How Should it be Stored?

Trisodium Citrate is packaged in 25 kg bags or larger bags and should be stored in non-humid places.

It should not be stored in direct sunlight.

It is biodegradable. When diluted with a large amount of water, sodium citrate is partially converted to citrate. Citrate is very susceptible to biodegradation in water under the influence of oxygen, heat, light, bacteria, and microbes.

Use of Trisodium Citrate in Gold Nanoparticle Production

Nanoparticles are synthesized and characterized in the reduction reactions between Tetrachloroauric Acid and Trisodium Citrate. As a result of these reduction reactions, gold nanoparticles are obtained.

The reduction reaction carried out by citrate ions is the most important factor in this production process.

Different solutions are prepared with gold salt concentrations ranging from 0.03 mM to 0.3 mM in this process. The sodium citrate concentration in this reaction is 0.17 mM. The stirring speed is 450 rpm.

To determine the amounts of gold salt, the optimal concentration should be between 0.05-0.1 mM. The sizes of the gold nanoparticles formed as a result of these chemical ratios are approximately between 23 nm and 120 nm.

Physical Effects and Use of Trisodium Citrate in Pasteurized Cheese Production

When Trisodium Citrate is used as an emulsifying salt, it has different effects on the texture, rheological structure, and microstructural properties of the cheese, depending on the concentration of TSC used and the contact time with the cheese.

As the TSC concentration increases, the melt concentration of the cheese decreases. As the concentration increases, the hardness of the cheese increases. The melting level of the cheese decreases as the holding time increases. The size of the fat droplets and the size of the fluorescence micrographs in the cheese decrease as the citrate concentration and the holding time in the solution increase. An inverse relationship is observed.

The pH level resulting from pH buffering with Calcium Phosphate decreases as the concentration increases. As the concentration increases, the percentage of dissolved phosphate increases. Inversely, the value of insoluble Ca (Calcium) decreases.

During the production of Pasteurized Cheese, trisodium citrate transforms the colloidal calcium phosphate into a chelated structure (citrate-Ca) to form casein.

In Pasteurized Cheese production, increasing the Trisodium Citrate concentration has been shown to improve fat emulsification and casein dispersion.

What are the Usage Areas of Trisodium Citrate?

• Trisodium Citrate sees the highest demand as a food additive. It is used in the food industry as a food additive. Its purposes in the food industry include use as a flavoring agent, buffering agent, emulsifier, and stabilizer.
• In the medical field, Trisodium Citrate is used in blood transfusions, in vitro anticoagulant drugs, expectorant drugs, and the production of diuretic drugs.
• It is used in the electroplating industry where cyanide is not used.
• In the production of detergents, it is used as an alternative to trisodium phosphate in the production of phosphorus-free and phosphate-free liquid detergents. Adding some trisodium citrate during detergent production will increase the detergent's cleaning ability.
• In the food industry, it is used as a pH-adjusting and emulsifying agent in jams, confectionery, ice cream, and jelly applications.
• In the medical field, it is used as an alkalizing chemical. Its systemic mechanism here is to work by neutralizing excess acid in the blood and urine. It is indicated for the treatment of metabolic acidosis.
• The dihydrate form is the most commonly used emulsifying chemical in the sliced cheese industry. Sodium citrate is used as an emulsifier in the production of fats in cheese manufacturing.
• Trisodium Citrate is also used in carbonated beverages and wine.
• It is used to provide a tart flavor in ready-to-drink beverages and drink mixes.
• The anhydrous Citrate product is 15% porous by volume. Anhydrous citrate can be used for impregnation with other substances if we add various liquids and other materials. Therefore, it can be used as an anhydrous carrier. Its porosity is an advantage in this application.
• In antifreeze production, a certain proportion of Trisodium Citrate is used to maintain the thermal stabilization of Glycol, thereby preventing the degradation of the glycol.
• It is actively used in the production processes of baby formula.
• In the pharmaceutical industry, it is used together with silicon dioxide and some other chemicals in the production of drops for treating abdominal pain.
• It is used as a preservative to prevent the spoilage of seafood.
• Sodium and potassium citrates have an active buffering capability, making them widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications to increase stability and enhance preservative effectiveness in appropriate products.
• Its use as an antioxidant is due to the citrate ion's strong chelating ability for trace metal ions.
• Peeled potatoes are subject to enzymatic browning. To prevent this, they are immersed in a Sodium Erythorbate solution at a temperature of 45-65 °C. The potatoes then need to be neutralized. Trisodium citrate salt is used for this purpose.
• It is used as an acidity regulator along with citric acid in the manufacturing of fruit-flavored energy drinks.
• It is used blended with salt to control the water activity in intermediate-moisture baked goods.

What Factors Affect its Prices?

The price of Trisodium Citrate generally increases by about 15% each year. The anhydrous form is more expensive than the dihydrate.

Trisodium Citrate prices largely vary depending on the prices of citric acid. Additionally, changes in the prices of other inputs used in the fermentation production of citric acid also affect the prices.

The prices of this chemical change depending on the expansion of its usage areas. That is, as the usage area increases, the price of trisodium citrate also increases.

As the stocks of companies selling Trisodium Citrate increase, prices will show an increase.